District "B" Guidelines

Order and regularity being essentially necessary for the preservation of the harmony and decorum which at all times should characterize Freemasons, the Brethren of Hamilton Masonic District ‘B’ of The Grand Lodge of Canada in the Province of Ontario, do agree to and enact the following Guidelines.

0.1.1 This District shall be known as Hamilton Masonic District ‘B’.

0.2.1 This District acknowledges the supremacy of The Grand Lodge of Canada in the Province of Ontario and at all times pays respect and obedience to its laws and regulations.

0.3 District ‘B’ Lodges  

0.3.1 Membership in this District shall be the twelve Lodges listed below:

Union 7

The Lodge of Strict Observance 27

Harmony 57

Acacia 61

St. Andrew’s 62

Wentworth 166

Enniskillen 185

Lincoln 544

St. Andrew’s 593

Hillcrest 594

Composite 667

Battlefield 714

0.3.2 Lodges may be added or removed from time to time as approved by The Grand Lodge of Canada in the Province of Ontario.

0.4 Mission Statement  

0.4.1 These District Guidelines are to provide clear and concise guidance for the ultimate benefit of Hamilton Masonic District ‘B’ and its Membership.

0.5 Revision to District Guidelines

0.5.1 Written Notice of Motion must be distributed to all District Lodge Secretaries and the District Deputy Grand Master, at least one full month prior to a District Meeting, before the Motion can proceed with regards to changing District Guidelines.

1.1 Fall District Meeting

1.1.1 The date of the Fall District Meeting shall be announced at the Hamilton District "B" meeting held at the Annual Communication of Grand Lodge in July.

1.1.2 The date of the Fall District Meeting is to be established by consensus of the District Deputy Grand Master and all proposed candidates for the Office of District Deputy Grand Master prior to the Spring District Meeting.

1.1.3 Fall District Meeting is to be held during the first three weeks following Labour Day.

1.1.4 District Deputy Grand Master will introduce the Immediate Past District Deputy Grand Master and present him with a Past District Deputy Grand Master’s pin at the Fall District Meeting.

1.1.5 District Deputy Grand Master is to announce the District Chaplain, District Treasurer and all Committee Chairmen at the Fall District Meeting in September.

1.1.6 At the Fall District Meeting two Auditors shall be elected by open vote to audit the year-end financial records and operations of the District with a report to be presented at the next Fall District Meeting.

1.1.7 The amount of the annual Regalia assessment is to be reviewed and established at the Fall District Meeting each year, based on the recommendations of the prior year's Historian/Regalia Chairman.

1.2 Spring District Meeting

1.2.1 Spring District Meeting is to be held during the last week in May.

1.2.2 The date of the Fall District Meeting shall be announced at the Spring District Meeting.

1.2.3 The amount of the assessment payable to the District Deputy Grand Master for the ensuing year is to be reviewed annually at the Spring District Meeting.

1.2.4 Each Lodge will be annually assessed a fee for Web Site expenses reviewed annually at the Spring District Meeting and kept in account with the District Treasurer disbursed accordingly to cover District ‘B’ Web Site expenses.

1.3 Annual District Meeting

1.3.1 Annual District Meeting is to be held at the Grand Lodge Communication in July.

1.3.2 The purpose of the July Annual District Meeting is to: (a) Elect a District Deputy Grand Master of this District for the ensuing year and (b) to conduct such other business as may be required by The Grand Lodge of Canada in the Province of Ontario.

1.3.3 District Deputy Grand Master-elect will confirm the appointment of his District Secretary at the Annual District Meeting in July.

2 Election of District Deputy Grand Master

2.1 It is preferred that Lodges considering the proposal of a candidate for the Office of District Deputy Grand Master allow the name of that individual to be proposed at least three years in advance, so that that person may have an opportunity to serve as a District Officer.

2.2 Candidates for the Office of District Deputy Grand Master proposed or nominated at the Spring District Meeting are asked to declare their intentions only at the Annual District Meeting in July.

2.3 It is preferred that all aspirants to the Office of District Deputy Grand Master attend necessary seminars, including the orientation course, and complete the correspondence courses at least two years prior to them taking office.

3 District Officers and Committees

3.1 District Deputy Grand Master-elect will confirm the appointment of his District Secretary at the Annual District Meeting in July.

3.2 District Deputy Grand Master will introduce the Immediate Past District Deputy Grand Master and announce the District Chaplain, District Treasurer and all Committee Chairmen at the Fall District Meeting in September.

3.3 District Committees must include: Long-Range Planning, Historian/Regalia, Blood Donors, Benevolence, Masonic Education, Communications and Computer Resources.

3.4 Guidelines to the Duties and Responsibilities of District Officers and Committee Chairmen are listed on Attachment ‘A’, forming an integral part of the District Guidelines.

3.5 The District Deputy Grand Master, in his year, may appoint such other committees at his discretion.

4 District Deputy Grand Master Official Visitations

4.1 During the months of April or May of each year, the District Secretary is to request preferred Official Visitation and Installation dates from each Lodge and pass them on to the incoming District Deputy Grand Master. This will assist in the preparation of the Trestle Board for the next Masonic year.

4.2 The newly elected District Deputy Grand Master has the right to ask Lodges to change dates of the Official Visitations.

4.3 District Deputy Grand Master’s Trestle Board should be presented to each Lodge prior to the Lodge’s regular meeting in September.

4.4 Each Lodge will be assessed annually a visitation fee, payable to the District Deputy Grand Master prior to or on the date of his official visit. The amount of the assessment for the ensuing year to be reviewed annually at the Spring District Meeting.

5 District Finance

5.1 District bank account to be maintained under the name of Hamilton Masonic District ‘B’.

5.1.1 Signing authorities shall be any two of the District Deputy Grand Master, District Treasurer and District Secretary.

5.1.2 Individual financial records to be maintained for Regalia,  Web Site, Gilbert Arnott Fund, Doric Legacy Fund and District Newsletter.

5.2 Each Lodge will be annually assessed a fee for Web Site expenses reviewed annually at the Spring District Meeting and kept in account with the District Treasurer disbursed accordingly to cover District ‘B’ Web Site expenses.

6 District Regalia

6.1 An appropriate annual Regalia assessment amount to be established each year.

6.1.1 Regalia assessment per member to be levied to each Lodge annually and invoiced in the month of January.

6.1.2 The amount of the annual Regalia assessment to be reviewed and established at the Fall District Meeting each year, based on the recommendations of the prior year's Historian/Regalia Chairman.

6.1.3 Lodge Secretaries will be furnished a Regalia Assessment Invoice, during the month of January, to be paid one (1) month prior to Spring district Meeting.

6.1.4 Membership numbers from the previous July Grand Lodge proceedings will be used for this assessment.

6.2 Grand Lodge Regalia purchased by the Hamilton Masonic District ‘B’ remains the property of Hamilton Masonic District ‘B’ and is deemed to be on loan to the recipient for the duration of his life or until his membership ceases at which time it shall be returned to Hamilton Masonic District ‘B’. Grand Lodge Officers should advise their families accordingly.

6.3 Annually the District Deputy Grand Master is to purchase a Past District Deputy Grand Master’s pin and present it to the Past District Deputy Grand Master at the Fall District Meeting using the District Regalia Fund to cover the cost.

7 District Newsletter

7.1 The District Newsletter may be produced with the costs covered by the District, through a per capita assessment if necessary. The number of copies to be at the discretion of the District Deputy Grand Master.

The following are guidelines to the Duties and Responsibilities of District Officers and Committee Chairmen, respectfully forming an integral part of the District Guidelines.

District Secretary:

• Issue summons to lodges for all District Meetings

• Attend and record the minutes of all District Meetings

• Assist the District Deputy Grand Master in the secretarial responsibilities of the District

• Attend with the District Deputy Grand Master at all his Official Visits and examine the books and records of the Lodge and report as required

• Perform any other such duties as may be required by the District Deputy Grand Master

District Chaplain:

• Attend with the District Deputy Grand Master at his Official Visits

• Perform any other such duties as may be required by the District Deputy Grand Master

District Treasurer:

• Receive all monies for the District and pay all approved accounts

• Keep proper accounts of all receipts and expenditures of all funds of the district and prepare an annual financial statement of the district to be submitted at the Fall District Meeting

• Chair the Finance Committee of the district and assist any lodges in respect to financial matters when requested

• Perform any other such duties as may be required by the District Deputy Grand Master

Long-Range Planning:

• In conjunction with the District Deputy Grand Master, set goals, plans and actions for this district for the future to ensure its survival and prosperity

• Perform any other such duties as may be required by the District Deputy Grand Master

Historian/Regalia:

• Make plans on an ongoing basis for the purchase or acquisition of the regalia for the District Deputy Grand Master and the District Secretary

• Calculate what will be needed to maintain the District Regalia Fund and make a recommendation on the appropriate assessment for the ensuing year

• Prior to the annual Grand Lodge Communication, obtain the regalia for the District Deputy Grand Master for presentation at the annual Grand Lodge Communication

• Following the annual Grand Lodge Communication, arrange for the presentation of the appropriate regalia for the Grand Master’s appointed officer as recommended by the District Deputy Grand Master

• In conjunction with the District Treasurer, present an annual financial report on the Regalia Fund

• Receive and maintain inventory of excess Grand Lodge Regalia in the possession of Hamilton Masonic District ‘B’

• Maintain a register of Grand Lodge Regalia, which is the property of Hamilton Masonic District ‘B’, in use by past and present Grand Lodge Officers to include name, Lodge, year of issue and title

• Record all historical events and functions suitable for historical purposes and keep all paraphernalia relative to these events and encourage all lodges to do the same

• Perform any other such duties as may be required by the District Deputy Grand Master

Blood Donors:

• Organize and promote Blood Donor Clinics throughout the District

• Liaise with the Grand Lodge Blood Donor Committee and its programs

• Liaise with the representative of the Canadian Blood Services in coordinating the various Blood Donor Clinics in the District

• Perform any other such duties as may be required by the District Deputy Grand Master

Benevolence:

• Liaise with the Grand Lodge Benevolence Committee in providing and communicating the programs available to the brethren and families

• Receive and process all applications for Grand Lodge benevolence as set out in the Book of Constitution

• Promote Benevolence throughout the District

• Liaise with the Hamilton Masonic Board of Relief

• Liaise with and promote The Masonic Foundation of Ontario throughout the District

• Liaise and promote Fund Raising throughout the District

• Perform any other such duties as may be required by the District Deputy Grand Master

Masonic Education:

• Liaise with the Grand Lodge Committee on Masonic Education

• Organize, promote and conduct Masonic Education throughout the District

• Promote all Grand Lodge seminars, and disseminate any other information received

• Perform any other such duties as may be required by the District Deputy Grand Master

Communications:

• Liaise with the Grand Lodge Committee on Communications

• Inform the District of all District Events to be held during the year

• Maintain close contact with Hamilton Masonic Districts ‘A’ and ‘C’ and promote Inter-District Events

• Participate with the other Hamilton Districts in the joint Newsletter

• Liaise as Field Correspondent on behalf of the District

• Liaise as and promote Public Relations throughout the District

• Perform any other such duties as may be required by the District Deputy Grand Master

Computer Resources:

• Liaise with the Grand Lodge Committee on Computer Resources

• Promote, support and assist the Lodges in the District in conversion to computer systems for their membership, accounting records and summons

• Promote and support Internet presence for the District as well as its Lodges

• Perform any other such duties as may be required by the District Deputy Grand Master